ENG(W) vs IND(W), T20I: England 126 for 3 (Dunkley 49, Capsey 38*) beat India 122 for 8 (Ghosh 33, Ecclestone 3-25, Glenn 2-11) by seven wickets

A nerveless display from 18-year-old Alice Capsey defeated a late hiccup by England to seal victory over India in their third and last T20I for a 2-1 series win in Bristol.

In a low-scoring match, England’s spinners Sophie Ecclestone and Sarah Glenn tied India down, restricting their objective to only 123 after the guests fell to 35 for 5.

England’s openers, led by Sophia Dunkley’s 49, broke the back of the deficit before the hosts lost 3 for 10 in three overs to set up a tighter finish than they would have enjoyed.

However, Capsey – playing her tenth international game having made her debut less than two months ago- marshalled the run-chase with Bryony Smith, who got back to the England ranks this summer for the first time in over three years.

HIGHLIGHTS

England’s (almost) perfect beginning

Early signs didn’t drill well for England in the field after Amy Jones won the toss and chose to bowl first. Jones missed a stumping off Shafali Verma, charging at Smith on the second ball of the match and beaten by the extra bounce, which likewise deluded the wicketkeeper, who failed to gather cleanly. Smith then got her fingertips to what might have been a return catch low to her left next ball.

Smith claimed the prized wicket of Smriti Mandhana, the star of India’s eight-wicket triumph in Derby on Tuesday, who skied the ball down the ground exclusively to find Ecclestone charging round from long-on to make extensive progress and take a beautiful diving catch, which – in spite of the fact that it touched the ground as she finished her diveroll – was taken care of by that point and therefore deemed a legal dismissal. Danni Wyatt reflected her teammates athleticism with a stunning effort running in from deep midwicket and launching herself forward to excuse Sabbhineni Meghana, making her first appearance of the tour instead of Kiran Navgire.

Caught in a spin

India had gone 60 balls without a boundary off the bat before Ghosh controlled Smith through midwicket in the fourteenth over. Ecclestone had accounted for Sneh Rana two balls before that when England overturned her not-out lbw decision. There was no question when Ecclestone caught Rana in the penultimate over, beating her endeavoured switch clear with one that was following onto leg stump.

In between, Deepti made a blunder when she attempted to clear Ecclestone and missed. As Jones shuffled the ball behind the stumps, Deepti slid her foot out of her crease thinking the keeper had put the ball down when she had actually gathered and plucked off the bails.

Pressure release

England required 46 off 52 balls and, when Jones lost her off stump to Radha, they were 79 for 3 and India had a flash of hope. Capsey’s casual reverse-swept four off Rana eased the strain, the first of three boundaries in quite a while as Smith flicked Renuka Singh through fine leg and Capsey sent one through the hands of Hemalatha in the deep.

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With the situation solidly back in support of England, Capsey skirted down to meet a Rana full toss and smear it over additional cover for four more. Capsey and Smith put on a solid stand of 47 runs off 33 balls in all. Capsey’s consecutive fours off Sharma secured victory by seven wickets with 10 balls to spare and left her 38 not out from 24 balls, smoothly upheld by Smith with 13 from 14.